Vibrator



Aug. 30, 1938. w. G. G. BENWAY VIBRATOR Filed Sept. 12, 1935 m w m mWILL/l) M 56. BMW/1y BY 61 A TToRN r Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNITEDSTATES.

PATENT oFFicE- 7 Claims.

This'i-nvention relates to massage devices and more particularly to animproved method and means for actuating electrical vibrators.

The object of the invention is to provide a driving mechanism for avibrator of the hand type in which the pressure applied against theapplicator does not tend to vary the driving impulse or stall thedevice.

A further object of this invention is to So mount the driving elementsof the vibrator that heat will not be readily transmitted to the casingor applicator of the vibrator.

These and further objects of this invention will become apparent fromthe following specification taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing.

In accomplishing the object of this invention, the two driving elementsof the vibrator are so mounted that a pressure applied through theapplicator will act equally upon the two elements relative to the casingand will not tend to displace these elements relative to each other.

Attention is invited to the accompanying draw- I ing in which Fig. 1 isa perspective view of a vibrator comprising the present invention,

Fig. 2 is across-section of a vibrator constructed in accordance withthis invention,

Fig. 3 is a second cross-section of the same vibrator, saidcross-section being taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of a modification of the vibrator shown inFigs. 2 and 3, and,

Fig. 5 is a cross-section of a second modification of the vibrator shownin Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. l, the vibrator includes acasing ll, suitably mounted upon a handle l2, an applicator l3, whichmay be of any of a number of types, the details of which constitute nopart of this invention, and a driving mechanism which will now bedescribed.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate a driving mechanism suitable for a vibrator ofthe type shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 the casing II is composed of twoparts, HA and NB, which are detachably con- 7 nected by means of thebolts l4 and nuts i5.

Secured between the heads of the bolts 14 and the upper portion IA ofthe casing II is a connection member or strap I6, to whichis suitablysecured a resilient supporting bracket or yoke l'l. Secured rigidly tothe connection member l6, and to one end of the supporting bracket I1,is the applicator stem i8, upon which is detachably mounted theapplicator l3. The supporting bracket I1 is generally U-shaped and itslower or free end is provided with a cross portion I9,

upon which are mounted two electro-magnets 20,. Electrical connections21 are provided for actuating the electro-magnets by any suitable sourceof alternating current.

In operation, the alternating current impulses excite theelectro-magnets intermittently and cause them'to be attracted to thearmature bar portion 22 of the supporting bracket ll. This results in amotion of the magnets and the applicator rod l8 relative to each other.The magnets being of considerable mass, the impulse transmitted to theapplicator is correspondingly great. However, it. can be readilyseenthat pressure upon the applicator l3 will not tend to lessen the gapbetween the poles 2.3 .of the electro-magnets and the armature bar 22,which would tend to vary the impulse'produced bythe vibrator.Furthermore, the length of the metallic path between the coils of theelectro-magnets and the applicator and casing greatly reduce the amountof heat transferred from the electro-magnets to the casing andapplicator.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, in which corresponding parts aredesignated by the same reference characters, a single electro-magnet .20is provided, mounted on a supporting bracket 11. In this form of theinvention the entire assembly is supported by the casing I i to which itis fixedly secured at. 24. An annular corrugated ridge 2 5 is providedbetween the center or supporting portion of the casing I land theremainder thereof for the purpose of permitting a freer vibration of theapplicator relative to the casing H. The operation of this type ofvibrator is exactly the same as that shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 shows a second modification of the invention. In this arrangementin which corresponding parts are designated by the same referencecharacters, the electro-magnet 253 is attached directly to theapplicator stem I8. The supporting bracket l'i' supports an armaturemass 26 adjacent to the lower pole 23' of the electro-magnet 20. Thismass can be made of any desired amount to provide vibrations of thedesired strength. For proper operation, the mass of the armature 26should be comparable to that of the applicator plus the actuatingelectro-magnet although it need not necessarily be as great.

In this form of the invention the heat produced by the electro-magnet istransmitted more readily to the applicator and casing than in the formshown in Figs. 1-4, but pressure upon the applicator will not tend tovary the gap between the electro-magnet and the armature and a much."all

more uniform operation will be obtained than with the usual type ofvibrator.

It is to be noted that in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 2 and3, the magnetic circuit includes the cores of both the electro-magnets20, the cross portion IQ of the supporting bracket I7, and the armaturebar 22. The main body of the supporting bracket IT is not included inthe magnetic circuit. On the other hand, in the forms of the inventionshown in Figs. 4 and 5, the magnetic circuit includes the entiresupporting bracket H, the core of the electro-magnet 20 and the armature22 or armature mass 26 respectively.

The supporting brackets l1 and H are designed to be somewhat resilientto permit a slight relative motion of the armature and theelectromagnet, which comprise the elements of the electro-magneticdriving device of the vibrator.

I claim:

1. In a vibrator, a generally cylindrical supporting casing having asubstantially flat end wall or head, an armature rigidly secured to saidcasing and located adjacent the inner face of said wall, anelectro-magnet including two electro-magnetic coils, means forresiliently supporting said electro-magnet from said casing with itspoles facing said armature in spaced relation thereto so that saidelectro-magnet vibrates said armature as alternating current traversessaid coils, and an applicator having a stem secured rigidly to saidarmature adjacent said end wall and projecting out of the'casing.

2. In a vibrator, an electro-magnet adapted to be supplied withalternating current, an armature structure secured at one end to a poleof said magnet and having its other end adjacent but spaced from asecond pole of said magnet, a supporting casing enclosing the magnet andarmature structure, said casing being secured to. the spaced end of saidarmature structure, and anapplicator secured to the spaced end of saidarmature structure whereby as said vibrator is used, pressure on theapplicator will not alter the spacing of the armature structure andmagnet to affect the operation of the vibrator.

3. In a vibrator, an electro-magnet adapted to be supplied withalternating current, a supporting casing, an armature rigidly secured tosaid supporting, casing, means for resiliently mounting saidelectro-magnet with one of its poles adjacent but spaced from saidarmature, means for completing the magnetic circuit, said meanscomprising said resilient mounting means, and an applicator secured tothe armature whereby as said vibrator is used, pressure upon theapplicator will not alter the spacing of the armature and magnet toaffect the operation of the vibrator.

4. In a vibrator, a generally cylindrical supporting casing having anend wall or head disposed substantially perpendicularly to the axis ofsaid casing, an armature plate within said end wall, a strap element bywhich said armature plate is rigidly secured in position at the innerface of said wall, an electro-magnet including two electro-magnetiocoils having their axes substantially parallel to the casing axis, a,spring yoke having one end rigidly secured with relation to saidarmature plate and having its other end secured to the ends of saidcoils and sup porting said coils from said casing with their polesfacing said armature plate in spaced relation thereto wherebyalternating current traversing said coils vibrates said armature plate,and an applicator having a stem in fixed relation to said strap andarmature plate and projecting therefrom exteriorly of the casing.

5. In a vibrator, a casing, an applicator having a stem rigidly attachedto the casing, a resilient supporting yoke within the casing having oneend disposed adjacent the applicator stem and rigid with the casing andthe other end free for vibratory movement within the casing, and analternating-current electro-magnetic device comprising a solenoidsupported on the free end of said yoke and an armature member spacedfrom said solenoid and rigid with the casing and disposed adjacent thebase of said applicator stem.

6. In a vibrator, a casing of generally cylindrical shape having an endwall substantially perpendicular to its axis, a handle secured to theside wall of said casing, an applicator having a stem projectingexteriorly of the casing adjacent said end wall and rigid with thecasing, a resilient supporting yoke within the casing having an endsecured to said stem, the other end of said yoke being free from thecasing and handle and adapted to oscillate Within the easing, and analternating-current electro-magnetic device having an armature platedisposed at the base of the applicator stem and rigid with the casingand a solenoid facing the armature plate and supported at one end by andfrom the free end of said yoke and in fixed relation to said free end.

'7. An alternating-current massage vibrator comprising a generallyU-shaped resilient supporting yoke, a solenoid member rigidly secured atone end to one end of the yoke and disposed transversely within theyoke, an applicator stem

